SOC 206 Religion and the Social Order (Not offered 2006-2007; to be offered 2007-2008)
Beginning with a review of classical sociological analyses of religion's role in
the social order-from Durkheim's study of primitive religions to Weber's
assessment of Protestantism and the rise of capitalism-this course considers the
changing influence of religion on a wide range of social behaviors and
institutional arrangements. The course will examine, for example, how religious
pluralism heightens cultural tension as multiple and conflicting claims are
asserted to have primacy over other claims, resulting in public conflicts over a
range of social issues. A prominent and much debated assessment of these
conflicts is the so-called "culture wars" thesis. Proponents of the thesis discern
deep fissures in the American cultural and religious landscape while critics
contend that the divide is not nearly so polarized. Still others observe relative
harmony, arguing that America remains "one nation after all." In addition to
exploring the various positions on this debate, the course will examine the
interplay between culture and other contemporary developments in America
religious life such as the burgeoning "seeker church" movement and New Age
channeling practices. The class focuses on the United States but lays a
conceptual foundation for the cross-cultural study of religion and the social
order.
Expected enrollment: 15.